Our Grants Pass Redemption Center has temporary operational changes Dec. 13 – 16. Click here to learn more.

Support Wildfire Relief with BottleDrop

Logo Shape

Photo courtesy of Oregon Wildland Firefighter Foundation

Oregon Wildfires

Last year, Oregon experienced a record-breaking wildfire season with 1.9 million acres burned. According to experts, the Pacific Northwest is anticipated to be at elevated risk of significant fires from August to October. Earlier this summer, Governor Tina Kotek declared a State of Emergency due to the imminent threat of wildfires.

As in previous years, OBRC and BottleDrop are working with boots-on-the-ground wildland firefighting camps to facilitate their beverage container redemptions during this wildfire season. OBRC also activated its emergency fund, which allowed OBRC and its customers to magnify their support for those impacted by recent, ongoing and future wildfires.

Photo courtesy of American Red Cross

Donate Through BottleDrop

OBRC invited its BottleDrop community to support wildfire relief through container donations. OBRC’s Emergency Fund matched up to $20,000 in total donations made via BottleDrop through Oct. 7, 2025 to support those impacted by this year’s wildfires.

Donations received through OBRC’s Emergency Fund were split between three organizations providing wildfire relief in Oregon:

  • American Red Cross, Cascades Region, supporting residents impacted by wildfires by providing shelters, meals, and emergency supplies.
  • United Way of the Columbia Gorge, Rowena Fire Relief Recovery Fund, providing immediate support for those in need of shelter, food, clothes and more while working with local partners to mobilize resources and lead collaborative efforts to rebuild.
  • Wildland Firefighter Foundation, Oregon Chapter, supporting those on the frontlines of the wildfires by helping injured firefighters and families of those killed in the line of duty.
BottleDrop customer is returning a bag of Customer OBRC BottleDrop facilities, for Gard Communications. June 2, 2022. Photo by Jason Quigley.

How You Can Donate

There were two ways to donate:

  1. Online from your BottleDrop account and directly to the OBRC Emergency Fund.
  2. In-person at any full-service BottleDrop Redemption Center (visit the Customer Service Counter with your containers and let staff know you would like to direct your donation to the OBRC Emergency Fund)

BottleDrop customers are incredibly generous, and we are proud to work together to leverage the power of bottles and cans, supporting organizations making a big difference for communities and residents across the state, especially for those impacted by the wildfires.

Thank You

Thank you to everyone who donated! We appreciate your generosity.

Customers donated $20,968. OBRC matched these donations and added an extra boost to bring the total amount raised to $42,000 – meaning each nonprofit received a $14,000 donation.

Below are the final results of our customer donations:

  • 145
    Online Donations from Green Bag Customers
  • 159,439
    Beverage Containers Donated at Redemption Centers
  • $20,968
    Total Raised by Customers

Helpful Wildfire Resources

  • Prevent

    Learn how to prevent wildfires with information from the Oregon State Fire Marshall.

     

    How to Prevent Wildfires

  • Prepare

    Learn how to prepare for wildfires with information from the Oregon Department of Emergency Management.

     

    Be Wildfire Ready

  • Be Aware

    Stay informed with current wildfire information from the Oregon Department of Forestry.

     

    Current Wildfire Information

Photos by Oregon Department of Forestry